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Agathism
Agathism (Canrillaise: Agathisme) is a syncretic and dualist religion practiced in Canrille or South Seleya, combining Zamāni dualism with a Hosian theology. Agathism has its roots in the re-emergence of Yazdean dualistic beliefs in South Seleya after the region's Hosianization, and it was a direct challenge to the power of the Holy Apostolic Hosian Church of Terra, until the religion was almost completely destroyed as a result of the Holy Wars of Kanjor. Now most Agathistes live in Alduria, where they form around 10% of the population. History Origins Yazdism and related religions had been the dominant faith in most of Seleya as a result of rule by the Kemokian Empire, and in Canrille the faith was practiced in syncretism with the traditional Selucian paganism of the proto-Canrillaise people. Beginning with late antiquity, the Hosian faith was brought to South Seleya, and after the Council of Auroria, the region was brought under the religious authority of the Holy Apostolic Hosian Church of Terra. However, Yazdean beliefs continued to be practiced by the population, often with Hosian forms. Archbishopric of Kanjo The old Yazdean beliefs were later officially readopted in Kanjor under a Hosian guise by the Archbishopric of Kanjo. The Archbishopric, governed as an absolute monarchy and under the hereditary rule of the House of Boullée, was only formally part of the Holy Apostolic Church. Wishing to preserve independence from the Church hierarchy, the Archbishopric slowly adopted popularly followed Yazdean beliefs in order to increase the House of Boullée's popularity with the local Kanjorians. The Archbishop's followers, while considering themselves full and faithful members of the Holy Apostolic Hosian Church of Terra, began calling themselves Agathistes (from Kalopian Ἀγαθοί Aɡatʰói, "the good"), adopting a separate identity from that of mainstream Hosianism. While at first the Holy Apostolic Church turned a blind eye to the increasingly heretical teachings of the Archbishop, as the Archbishopric had been carving out a de facto kingdom on the mainland, appointing kings, queens, nobles and lesser nobles, the growing power of the Archbishopric on the Mainland brought it into conflict with the more orthodox Isle of la Tondelle. Suppression The Bishops on Isle banded together against the Archbishop, and after sending a famous letter (Lettre du Conseil de vingt) to the Arch-Patriarch stating abuses of power and heresy of the Archbishop, they called for a Crusade to bring the Archbishop down. The Arch-Patriarch reacted by granting a Crusade, calling on all good Hosian nations to join, thus sparking the Holy Wars of Kanjor. Holy Wars of Kanjor The Holy Wars of Kanjor (1204-1221) were fought between the followers of the Holy Apostolic Church against the followers of the Archbishop of Kanjo. Although the Arch-Patriarch had called on all Hosian nations to take part in the crusade against the Mainland, the Isle was by far the most enthusiastic; the states on the Isle found in the Crusade a good pretext to expand their power and influence over the Mainland of Kanjor. After a 17-year struggle, the conflict ended with the victory of the Isle and re-imposition of the Church's control over the mainland of Kanjor following a violent Inquisition. Inquisition of Kanjor At the beginning of the Crusade the Holy Apostolic Hosian Church of Terra established the Inquisition of Kanjor as an ecclesiastical tribunal aiming to eliminate the heresy of the Archbishop of Kanjo. An estimated 250,000 people would become victims of the inquisition; including two kings, two princes, one duke, nearly all the nobility, the entire clergy of the mainland of Kanjor, and thousands of average people. The Inquisition was successful in almost completely eradicating the Agathiste heresy from the Isle, especially amongst the nobility. However, peasantry in eastern Oléri-des-Grâces area of Chevènement proved the hardest to re-convert and over one-third of them were killed by military forces; although most peasantry did not oppose efforts at re-conversion, debate still rages as to whether these people continued heretical worship in secret, at least during their lifetimes and possibly the next generation. Exile to Alduria Present day Beliefs - there are two Gods; one "God of the Earth" (Le haïssaient - The Hated-One) who hates mankind and rules the physical world, & the "God of the Heavens" (Le gardien - The Guardian) who rules the divine or spiritual world, loves mankind and wishes to save them from suffering - the physical world is entirely evil and the result of the God of the Earth's creation; human souls are of celestial origin, but are trapped into the physical world - "God of the Earth" was later defeated by "God of the Heavens"'s chosen son Eliyahu during his temptations in the wilderness and became Satanail therefore paving the way for "God of the Heavens" triumph - the "Hidden Messiah" was continual reincarnation of Eliyahu, given title of Saint Rédempteur (Saintly Redemmer) or Caché (The Hidden); first known was Saint Rédempteur Onfroi (last name unknown) from Badefols-sur-Kanjorgne, a peasant - extreme asceticism is necessary to release one from the bounds of the physical world; childbearing is considered a grave (but forgivable) sin ''Saint Rédempteur'' - Redeemer kept the "God of the Earth" form unleashing his full forces upon the planet - all suffering was responsibility of this god; as long as Redeemer remained hidden, evil would roam Terra - the "Third" Redeemer, Aurélien, granted the Archbishop of Kanjo, the House of Boullée; express power and responsibility to determine who the new Redeemer was after the current Redeemer passed on - Third redeemer was the last to be found; Archbishop preached his word and many converted to his new ideas - after Aurélien's death, no new Redeemers were found; instead, his power belongs to all bonhommes collectively Organization and practices - initially led by Archbishop of Kanjo and organized into Bishoprics - after Holy Wars, only distinction is between the ascetic bonhommes (Good Men), who take all the vows required by the religion, and the croyants, laypeople who did not take the religion's vows but still participate - men and women are considered equal, and both can become bonhommes and lead the Church - there is only one sacrament, the éclairage, undertaken before one is to become a bonhomme; the sacrament can only be administered by another bonhomme, and once administered, the believer is required to become a vegetarian and celibate - many croyants undertake the éclairage on their deathbeds - there is also an extreme fast, usually undertaken by the terminally ill, that requires the believer to starve themselves to death Category:ReligionCategory:AlduriaCategory:Kanjor